TRAFFIC RULES
It is interesting to know
ReadingRead the text and answer the questions that follow.
HIGHWAYS
The highways in the United States are reasonably good, and it is not complicated to drive on them. They are numbered to show the direction of the highway. Highways with a number ending in 0, 2, 4, 6, or 8 - for example, Hwy 72 - go in an east-west direction. Highways numbered with 1, 3, 5, 7, or 9-for example, Hwy 79 - go north and south. Three numbers, such as 495, show that the highway circles a city so that motorists can avoid the downtown area or heavy city traffic.
Most highway exits are very clear, with the exit name and number on a sign above the road. Exits may lead to a town or onto another highway. On some ways, the exit lane is also the entrance lane for cars coming onto the highways. For this reason, motorists must be careful to use turn signals when exiting so that they don’t cause an accident with entering vehicles.
The speed limit on many large highways is 65 miles, or about 106 kilometers an hour. The speed is always lower on exits and entrances and is frequently lower when a highway passes through a heavily populated area. It is the law that motorists stay at or below the speed limit, pay attention to all traffic signals and wear safety belts. Motorists must also never throw anything out of the car windows. There are many laws against leaving paper and garbage on the highways.
If motorists remember how highways are numbered, drive within the speed limit, and pay attention to other rules of the road, they should have no problems driving on US highways.
* Hwy - the abbreviation for highway
a) 1. How do motorists know which direction they are travelling? 2. Why do some roads have three numbers?
3. How do motorists know which exit is the next?
4. What is unusual about highway exits in some parts of the US?
5. What must motorists be sure to do when exiting (for changing lanes)? 6. What is the speed limit on most highways in the US? When is it different? 7. What are several laws that motorists should remember?
b) 1. What reasons should a motorist have for driving backwards? 2. What are some typical loads that trucks carry?
3. What are some typical signals used to control traffic?
4. What traffic laws must motorists pay attention to in your country? 5. What are some problems large trucks can cause for car drivers? 6. Where is vehicular or motorised traffic usually not permitted? Why? 7. Describe the longest journey you have ever made.
8. How old must a person be to drive a motorized vehicle in your country? Exercise 1
The answers in the dialogue below have several variants, and the dialogue is not finished. Choose your variant of the dialogue. Decide what could be added to complete the dialogue.
Ashley: What’s the matter? You look upset. Sam: Wow, I really had a close call today. Ashley : What happened?
Sam : I was driving south/turning a corner/parking/speeding/coming down the hill on Highway 163 when I had a blowout/flat tire.
Ashley : What did you do?
Sam : I took my foot off the brake and tried to steer to the side of the road, but the car began to skid.
Ashley : You are lucky no one hit you.
Sam : I sure am. Fortunately, I pulled over before anything happened/the car started to skid. I lost control of the car.
Ashley : After you stopped/pulled over/got out of the car what did you do? Exercise 2
1.Marco was driving to work. He was going to drop his aunt, Adela, off at her friend’s
house, but they didn’t get to their destinations. Why did it happen? To find out what happened put the story in order.
On the Way to Work
___ Next he swerved right to avoid hitting the other car and smashed into a tree instead.
___ Meanwhile, the other driver drove off when the light changed, unaware that he had caused an accident.
8 Before the police officer finished talking to Marco and Adela, the tow truck arrived.
___ As Marco was driving to work, a driver cut in front of him in an intersection. ___ While one officer called for a tow truck, the other one recorded Marco’s and
Adela’s statements about the accident.
___ Then Marco slammed on the brakes, but they didn’t hold. ___ A police car arrived a few minutes after the other car left.
___ Slowly they got out of the car, although the car was damaged, they were unhurt.
2. Why did the police come? Make a list of questions the police asked.
3. a) Think over the questions that Adela and Marco may want to ask the mechanic about the car.
Example: Why did the brakes give out?
They gave out because the brakepads were worn out. b) Roleplay the conversation among these three characters.
- Why do you think Marco decided to read his insurance policy? - What was damaged in the accident?
- What type of coverage is Marco checking on? - What is insurance?
- Why do you need insurance for cars? - How does it protect people?
Exercise 3
Complete the dialogues and act them out. 1. A: Have you seen Marta’s new car?
B: Marta got a new car? A: Yeah. It’s a Honda Accord.
B: Oh. That’s the same car I have. What color is it?..
2. A: I heard that Bill got a speeding ticket. B: Really? Bill’s a good driver.
A: Well, he was doing 60 in a 50 mile-an-hour zone. B: Oh ...
3. A: I really like that car. I bet it’s expensive, though. B: It’s $20.000.
A: That’s what I thought. I think I’ll probably have to keep looking... 4. A: Did you see what happened?
B: Yeah. The blue car hit the black car from behind. A: It was the blue car’s fault?
B: Sure was. It ... 5. A: Mom, Bobby’s on the phone.
B: Boby? What does he want?
A: His car broke down. You have to get him as ...
6. A: Why is there so much traffic today? B: I don’t know but we are going to be late. A: Oh, I see what the trouble is.
B: Is there an accident up ahead? A: Yeah. Over there. In the left lane ...
Read the TV traffic report. On the right side you’ll read the dialogue in TV slang. On the left side you will find the translation of this dialogue to standard English.
The Traffic Report A Traffic Report
The traffic anchor is reporting the news. Its a tought row to hoe out there today so let me clue you in on what's happening on the highways. Due to rush hour, traffic is heavy right now with a lot of slow-and-go. You may even find yourself at a dead stop as you work your way down to the commercial district. The bunch-up is due to the numerous rubberneckers gawking at the tangle between a pickup and a big rig on I-5. Both vehicles spun out and got into a fender bender but are now off on the right shoulder. Police will be arriving on the scene shortly so heads up. You should find yourselves moving at the quick clip once you leave the city as traffic starts to break up. You'll have a clear shot for a few miles then traffic will pick up again due to a bottleneck on the highway. We'll keep tabs on the traffic conditions for you every 20 minutes.
The traffic anchor is reporting the news. Its a difficult job driving out there today so let me inform you about what's happening on the highways. Due to everyone leaving work at the same time, traffic is congested right now with a lot of braking and accelerating. You may even find yourself at a complete stop as you slowly approach the commercial district. The congestion is due to the nurmerous spectators gawking at the accident between a pickup truck and a big commercial truck on Interstate 5. Both vehicles lost control and got into a small accident but are now off on the right edge of the highway. Police will soon be arriving where the accident occurred so be alert. You should find yourselves moving at a quick pace once you leave the city as traffic starts to diminish. You'll have an unobstructed passage for a few miles then traffic will increase again due to merging lanes on the highway. W'll keep a close surveillance on the traffic conditions for you every 20 minutes. Exercise 1
Circle the word in parentheses that best completes the sentence.
1. It took me entire hour to get home because of a (turtleneck, crookneck, bottleneck) on the highway.
2. Let me (glue, clue, slue) you in on what happened yesterday! 3. All the cars were at a (live, living, dead) stop on the road. 4. We were moving at a real fast (clip, flip, slip)!
5. I was involved in a little fender (blender, bender, gender) today. 6. If we leave now, we're going to hit rush (hour, minute, second). 7. Traffic is really (heavy, slim, slender) this afternoon.
8. There's a lot of slow-and-(mow, blow, go) on the roads tonight. 9. Did you see the (tangle, tango, tangelo) on the highway? 10.The police just arrived on the (scene, spleen, screen). 11.(Feet, Heads, Hands) up! Something's flying toward us!
12.Every time there's an accident on the road, you can be sure there be lots of (turtlenecks, rubberneckers, crooknecks).
Exercise 2
Complete the following sentences by using the word list below. bottleneck rubbernecker break clue dead heavy tabs scene rush go spin row 1. We came to a … stop on the highway because of all the traffic congestion. 2. … hour seems to be starting earlier and earlier.
3. Get ready to slow down. There's always a … in the highway around here. 4. The ambulance arrived on the … one minute after the accident took place. 5. I’ll keep … on the situation for you while you are gone.
6. Finally! There’s a … in the traffic.
7. There’s a lot of slow-and-… on the roads today.
8. Don’t ever apply the brakes hard when driving over icy roads or you may … out. 9. I can’t wait to pass that … ! He’s more interested in watching the accident than
watching the road.
10.I’m afraid the traffic is going to be … all the way home. 11. … me in. What happened at work today?
12.It’s a tough … to hoe on the roads this afternoon. Exercise 3
Complete the sentences with appropriate prepositions. Some can be used more than once.
towards on at near in to into round about of A Road Accident
It was raining heavily as I was walking up the hill (1) …… the station (2) …… six o’clock (3) …… a Saturday morning. At this early hour there wasn’t much traffic and there weren’t many people (4) …… sight. Just as I was crossing the road (5) …… the top of the hill, a car came (6) …… the corner. It was travellig very fast and the driver was obviously having difficulty in controlling it. Suddenly it swerved violently, skidded (7) … … the wet road, hit a lamp-post and turned over.
At once I ran (8) …… the car to assist the driver, but he was unconscious and there was a lot of blood (9) …… his face. A young woman hurried (10) …… the station and phoned for an ambulance while I took care (11) …… the driver. A number of other people gathered (12) …… the car but there wasn’t a great deal we could do. A policeman arrived a few minutes later and asked me a lot of questions (13) ……. the accident. Shortly afterwards the man came round, and he was groaning quietly when the ambulance arrived (14) …… high speed and rushed him away to hospital.
On Monday morning I went to the hospital to enquire (15) …… the man. They told me that his injuries were not serious after all and that he was rapidly getting over the effects of the accident.
REVISION TOPICS